Photo by Leighton Cooley, honorable mention in 2020 GFB Photo Contest
August 18, 2021
www.gfb.org
Vol. 3 No. 17
COMMODITY CONFERENCE SPEAKERS UPBEAT ABOUT AGRICULTURE Georgia Farm Bureau held its 2021 Commodity Conference at the UGA Tifton Campus yesterday, Aug. 12. Speakers gave members of the organization’s 20 commodity advisory committees updates on a variety of ag issues and attendees had a chance to talk to UGA ag researchers about the projects they are conducting to help farmers with production issues. GFB kicked off its policy development process as the committees reviewed the organizations state and federal policy pertaining to their specific commodities. Dorfman: Farmers need to vote & vax Georgia’s ag economy should remain stable according to State Fiscal Economist Jeff Dorfman, who spoke at the GFB Commodity Conference Dorfman said the state’s overall economy has fared relatively well since the start of the pandemic. Dorfman, a professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Georgia, emphasized that farmers need to vote and get vaccinated. “Elections are important,” Dorfman said. “If you want to know what’s going to affect the type of regulations you’re going to face in farming, if you don’t want that ditch on your farm to become a water of the United States again, then you’ve got to vote in 2022 and 2024.” Another thing farmers can do: Get vaccinated against COVID-19. “The number one thing you can do is get vaccinated, wear a mask and socially distance,” Dorfman said. “Tell other people to get vaccinated. If we can stay healthy, then our economy is going to go gangbusters and we’re going to be fine.” During his presentation at the 2021 Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Conference, Dorfman said farmers could expect continued low interest rates and slight decreases in energy prices and continued commodity prices at what he called “mid-level.” Dorfman said farm labor issues are not likely to be resolved soon. Dorfman pointed to key indicators as gages for the state’s economy since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Thanks to federal stimulus payments and increased unemployment benefits, personal income has remained steady and people have turned more attention to putting money aside. Americans went from saving approximately 7% of their income to about a third and have amassed $6 trillion in savings. Georgians have about $200 billion in savings.
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GFB Field Notes page 2 of 15 Continued from previous page Retail sales took a massive hit, though. “In March when the lockdown happened, we were all huddled in our house and the only thing we were spending money on was any toilet paper we could find anywhere,” Dorfman said. “We had about three months where everything was down and then everything went back to normal. In Georgia that’s particularly true because we re-opened quickly, and dare I say safely.” The biggest remaining hurdle to the state making full economic recovery is the loss of approximately 75,000 jobs in the hospitality sector, which continues to suffer with the slow return of convention trade, particularly in Atlanta. Dorfman said full return to normal will take time because hiring and training employees takes time. This is complicated by workers switching jobs. When it happens, one job is filled, but another one is left vacant. Walmsley: Ag has great conservation story to tell Farmers have been doing their part to conserve natural resources, and as the climate change policy discussion continues to intensify, agriculture has a seat at an important table. Agriculture’s conservation story, AFBF Senior Director of Congressional Relations Andrew Walmsley said, is one for which farmers should be proud. Since the late 1940s, American agriculture has increased its production 287% while farm inputs have remained relatively flat. Walmsley said factoring in agriculture’s small share of greenhouse gas emissions and its sizeable contribution to carbon capture, ag is a net carbon “sink,” which means it absorbs more greenhouse gases than it produces. “As we go forward in policy discussions or private market developments, how do you shrink [emissions] while increasing [carbon capture] and make sure we remain sustainable?” Walmsley said. “For me, sustainable for agriculture is economic viability. It does us no good to run anybody out of business.” He also pointed out that there are more than 140 million acres in the U.S. enrolled in conservation programs under the 2018 farm bill, accounting for more land that the states of California and New York combined. “It’s those type of programs, voluntary and incentive-based, utilizing that framework and working within the House and Senate Ag Committees, that will make us successful in this climate debate going forward,” Walmsley said. Walmsley reviewed the development of first the Farmers for a Sustainable Future and then the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) and its policy recommendations. FACA includes 70 agriculture, food, forestry and environmental stakeholder organizations. The alliance met and developed a set of policy recommendations to guide the development of federal climate policy, including the Growing Climate Solutions Act passed by the U.S. Senate and under consideration in the U.S. House. “We were trying figure out how do we shape policy in Washington that benefits the environment but also protects farmers and ranchers,” said Walmsley, who has been heavily involved in FACA discussions. “I have to say, of the 40 policy recommendations we came up with, they all fell within Farm Bureau policy. And so, we’ve got environmental groups helping advocate for Farm Bureau policy and opening doors to some offices that we traditionally wouldn’t work with.”
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GFB Field Notes page 3 of 15 Continued from previous page Carbon markets are being developed as a part of federal climate policy. AFBF has developed a primer on sustainability and carbon markets, which can be found online at www.fb.org/marketintel and www.fb.org/land/sustainability-in-ag. Ag commissioner: fair will be held While speaking at the GFB Commodity Conference, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black thanked Farm Bureau for its long-time support of the Georgia National Fair and the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter. Commissioner Black said the Georgia National Fair will be held Oct. 7-17. “The Georgia Grown building will be open and the Baby Barn will be showcasing the miracle of birth again for Georgia families,” Black said. Black also discussed an upcoming opportunity for farmers to obtain loans to finance value-added projects using Georgia commodities that will be administered by the Georgia Development Authority. He encouraged farmers to represent agriculture in their local communities. “I would suggest to you that it’s never been more important to speak out for agriculture,” Black said. “It may be representing ag at your county commission meetings and at your local schools.” UGA-Tifton Campus working for Georgia farmers Dr. Michael Toews, assistant dean of the UGA Tifton Campus, welcomed GFB Commodity Conference attendees to his campus, which celebrated 100 years of service to Georgia farmers in 2019. Toews highlighted the academic and research programs offered on the campus. The UGA Tifton Campus offers four undergraduate degrees in: agribusiness, ag education, agriscience/environmental systems, and biological sciences. Masters degrees are offered in ag & environmental education, and plant protection & pest management. The Tifton Campus is known for its research & Extension work on plant breeding for multiple crops (turf, corn, sorghum, pecan, grape, peanut & cotton), crop production & pest management issues, precision ag technology, controlling invasive species, and organic production. Located adjacent to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the UGA Tifton Campus consists of a 125-acre campus, which houses the conference center, UGA Cotton Microgin, National Environmentally Sound Production Ag Lab (NESPAL), Vidalia Onion research lab, and the Future Homestead. The UGA Tifton facilities also include 11 farms encompassing 5,600 acres where UGA researchers conduct crop and livestock research. Toews said the UGA Tifton Campus is among the top five employers in Tift County and has an economic impact of about $83 million on the local community. Dickey, Harper discuss state legislative issues Georgia House Agriculture Committee Chairman Rep. Robert Dickey & Georgia Senate Natural Resources/Environment Committee Chairman Sen. Tyler Harper discussed Georgia legislative issues during a panel discussion with GFB President Tom McCall. Both Harper & Dickey commended GFB’s Public Policy staff for the work it does to advocate for Georgia agriculture in Atlanta. Harper discussed Senate Bill 260, which pertains to soil amendments applied to fields and HB 693, introduced by Rep. Steven Meeks, which gives the right-of-way to farm equipment traveling
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GFB Field Notes page 4 of 15 Continued from previous page on state roads when they encounter other vehicles. Dickey praised GFB for the work it has done for decades to address tax issues Georgia farmers face. He encouraged GFB members to support a constitutional amendment, which Georgians will vote on in November 2022, that proposes family farms that have merged may have the same ad valorem tax exemption on farm equipment that they qualified for before merging. “Tax issues continue to be a big problem for agriculture. I thank Farm Bureau for its work on behalf of farmers on tax issues that has resulted in CUVA (conservation use value assessment) and the GATE (Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption) program,” Dickey said. GEORGIA FARM BUREAU FUNDS AG RESEARCH Georgia Farm Bureau has awarded almost $137,000 in grants to nine researchers at the UGA College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences for studies addressing production, economic or marketing issues Georgia farmers are experiencing. The 2021 GFB Agricultural Research Initiatives grant recipients were recognized during the GFB Commodity Conference held Aug. 12 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. “As federal and state funds for ag research decline, Georgia Farm Bureau feels it’s our job to step up and join other ag organizations in supporting research that benefits Georgia farmers,” GFB President Tom McCall said. Recipients and their projects are as follows: • Dr. Emran Ali Preventing Postharvest Fruit Rot of Georgia Blueberries: Determining the Organisms Responsible & Options for Pre-Harvest Management • Dr. Sudeep Bag Epidemiology & Impact of Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Disease on Cotton in Georgia • Dr. Lisa Baxter Controlling Smutgrass in Bahiagrass Pasture Systems Using Integrated Weed Management Strategies • Dr. Mark A. Czarnota Developing Phytophthora Resistant Hybrid Firs by Somatic Embryogenesis • Dr. Cesar L. Escalante Sourcing Interim Replacements for H-2A Foreign Farm Workers in Georgia Farms during the Pandemic • Dr. Cristiane Pilon Leveraging Water Management Strategy in Peanut for Greatest Yield & Seed Quality • Dr. Alex Stelzieni Validating the Non-Thermal Destruction of E. coli 0157:H7, STEC & Surrogate E. Coli During the Manufacture of Dry Cured, Readyto-Eat Beef Products • Dr. Lawton Stewart Grazing Cotton Residue to Decrease Hay Feeding • Dr. Kari Turner Animal Institute: A Program for Georgia Agricultural Teachers This is the fourth year GFB has awarded grants to assist Georgia researchers working to find solutions to production, economic and marketing issues facing Georgia farmers. Since 2018, GFB has awarded about $392,600 in research grants that have addressed beef, blueberry, cotton, forage, Christmas, fruit & pecan tree, peanut, poultry, soybean, vegetable production issues.
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 15 FORMER GFB PRESIDENT LONG RECEIVES 2021 COMMODITY AWARD Former Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long was announced as the 2021 Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Commodity Award during the GFB Commodity Conference held Aug. 12 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus. The GFB Commodity Award, one of the organization’s highest honors, is given to individuals who have supported and promoted Georgia agriculture. “Gerald has spent decades influencing agricultural policy and advocating for Georgia farmers,” said GFB President Tom McCall. “No doubt, the seeds he has planted throughout his career will be harvested by the next generation of producers. Gerald’s tireless and selfless leadership, ranging from county leader to GFB President, will leave a lasting mark on our organization and industry. We thank you, Gerald, and are proud to call you a true friend of agriculture.” Long has graciously and selflessly devoted his time and efforts to promoting, advocating, and ensuring the betterment of Georgia agriculture. His leadership has been a tremendous asset to Georgia Farm Bureau and has spanned across Georgia’s many agricultural and related agribusinesses. Under Long’s leadership as president, GFB partnered with the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture to create the Georgia Ag Experience mobile agriculture classroom and the organization made funding agricultural research projects a priority. A third-generation farmer, Long began his farming career in 1973 after attending ABAC and completing his military service in the Army National Guard. Realizing that producing vegetables for the commercial market “didn’t work for him,” Long decided to try his hand at a you-pick sweet potato patch. Through faith and family, his farm expanded from a small roadside stand to a diverse farming operation producing more than 50 varieties of vegetables, beef cattle, and row crops. Long and his wife, Janice, are members of the First Baptist Church of Bainbridge. The Longs have three adult children – Justin, Jared and Jeanie, and three grandchildren. His son Justin and daughter-in-law, Kelli, are continuing the farming tradition at Long Farms. Long has been a Georgia Farm Bureau member since 1970. He has served on the Decatur County Farm Bureau Board of Directors on which he is a past president and vice president. He was first elected to the GFB Board of Directors in 1999 as a GFB 9th District director. In 2006, he was elected as the GFB South Georgia vice president and in 2008. He was elected as the GFB 1st vice president, where he served until succeeding Zippy Duvall as GFB president in 2016. Long was re-elected twice as president but decided not to seek re-election in 2020 to return to his farm and family. “Gerald’s leadership on the local, state, and national level has made a positive difference in all of our lives,” Duvall said. “Gerald Long is a farmer’s friend. Congratulations, Gerald – well deserved!” Long served in many agricultural leadership capacities outside of Farm Bureau, including the Decatur County Cattlemen’s Association board, the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association, and the Georgia Beef Board. He was a founding member of the Georgia Peanut Producers, the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Flint River Water Planning Policy Center.
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 15 GFB MOURNS LOSS OF DOLLAR, FORMER STATE PRESIDENT Wayne Dollar, who served as Georgia Farm Bureau president from 1994 to 2006, died Aug. 16. He was 89. Dollar was a diversified row crop, cattle and timber farmer from Ochlocknee in Thomas County. “Wayne Dollar loved Georgia agriculture and he loved Farm Bureau,” GFB President Tom McCall said. “The whole GFB family extends our thoughts and prayers to Wayne’s family at this time.” Dollar, who never met a stranger, was sociable and loved to laugh. He was born in Climax, Ga., to W.B. and Marie Dollar and raised by his grandparents after his mother died when he was two. After graduating from Climax High school in 1951, Dollar joined the U.S. Air Force and served until 1955 as a cryptographer during the Korean War. After returning home from Korea, Dollar worked for Mineral and Chemical in Decatur County before enrolling at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College where he earned an associate degree in 1959. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and economics in 1961. He served as an Extension agent in Bulloch County from 1961 to 1968. Dollar served as director of the GFB Field Services Department from 1969 to 1971. Dollar was first elected to the GFB Board of Directors in 1988 as a GFB 9th District director, representing 14 counties in Southwest Georgia. GFB voting delegates in the organization’s southern region elected Dollar as their GFB South Georgia vice president in 1992, and GFB voting delegates from across the state designated him GFB 1st vice president the same year. During the 12 years he served as GFB president, Dollar led Farm Bureau in securing the elimination of state ad valorem taxes farmers paid on equipment used to produce their crops as well as those once levied on fruit and nut trees, ornamental trees and shrubs, and livestock as inventory. As GFB president, Dollar served as an ex-officio member of the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commissions. Dollar was a strong believer in the programs the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences and UGA Cooperative Extension carry out for Georgia farmers and 4-H youth. During his presidency, GFB supported national conventions for Extension agents & 4-H youth, the renovation of the Rock Eagle 4-H Center, the 4-H Equine program and a CAES lecture series. Dollar is survived by his wife, Jean Betts Fuller Dollar; son, Mike Dollar (Jan); daughters: Patsy Booth Wester; Mary Booth Smith (Ed); Ann Fuller Slocumb (Jerry); Beth Fuller Smith (Don); and grandchildren: Michala Dollar, Shelby Dollar, Alyssa Dollar, Rusty Smith (Jennifer), Shane Slocumb (Katie), Kelli Wesler (Rich), Jesse Miller (Terra), Suzanne Barfield, Donnie Smith (Shannon), Nick Smith (Tia), and Amber Conoly (Brett); and 17 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years Odessa Griffin Dollar and grandson Jason Wester. Visitation will be Friday, Aug. 20 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Allen & Allen Funeral Home in Thomasville, Ga. Graveside services will be held Saturday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m. at the Big Ochlocknee Baptist Church Cemetery located at 1757 Beeline Rd., Coolidge, Ga., 31730. Memorial donations may be made to Big Ochlocknee Baptist Church.
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 15 POWELL, STAINES JOIN GFB AS FEDERATION DISTRICT MANAGERS Georgia Farm Bureau has hired Lacy Powell and Kane Staines as new federation district managers. Powell will serve the GFB 1st District, while Staines will serve the GFB 10th District. Powell, who succeeds Nathan Dupree in the 1st District, began work on Aug. 2. Originally from Newton County, Powell grew up on a small beef cattle farm. As a youth she showed cattle. She earned an associate degree in agricultural education from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Georgia. She earned master’s and specialist degrees from Auburn University in agriscience education. Powell has worked the past five years as an agriculture teacher at Calhoun High School in Gordon County. Lacy and her husband, Josh, live in Calhoun and have a son, Lane. The GFB 1st District includes: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Pickens, Walker and Whitfield counties. Staines, who succeeds Ben Salter in the 10th District, began work Aug. 9. A native of Berrien County, Staines earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in adult and career education from Valdosta State University. Staines worked as general manager for Lenox Peanut Company/Nutrien Ag Solutions and previously worked as a research professional and microgin manager at the UGA Tifton Campus. Staines and his wife, Lanie, live in Lenox with their children, Alley, Jase and Boone. The GFB 10th District includes: Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Glynn, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce and Ware counties. FEDERAL JUDGE REJECTS ALABAMA, ENVIRO GROUPS’ WATER SUITS On Aug. 11, Judge Thomas Thrash of the U.S. District Court for the Northern district of Georgia rejected claims by the state of Alabama and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) violated multiple federal laws when planning water controls on the Chattahoochee River. Alabama wanted the court to set aside the Corps’ 2017 adoption of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin Water Control Manual (WCM) and Water Supply Storage Assessment. Alabama alleged that the Corps did not adequately consider impacts on wildlife downstream from Atlanta in determining how much water could be withdrawn from the Chattahoochee River. Alabama argued that in the Corps in its process of adopting these standards, it violated the Water Supply Act of 1958, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the Administrative Procedure Act. The NWF alleged that the Corps also ran afoul of the Water Resources Development Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Thrash concluded that the Corps gave sufficient consideration and used appropriate judgement in adopting the WCM and the EIS. “The ACF Basin Master Water Control Manual Update assures a dependable supply of water from Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River to the Atlanta Metropolitan region through the year
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GFB Field Notes page 8 of 15 Continued from previous page 2050,” Thrash wrote in the court opinion. “It does so without significant sacrifices to environmental standards and recognizes the need to maintain other uses of the ACF system such as flood control, hydropower generation, fish and wildlife conservation, navigation and recreation. The effect upon the Apalachicola River and Bay will be negligible. The decision was not arbitrary or capricious. The Plaintiffs have not met their burden of showing that this delicate balance should be upset. In the absence of an agreement among Georgia, Florida and Alabama, there is no better alternative.” KNOWLES RECEIVES HAY CONTEST TOP PRIZE; 2021 ENTRIES ACCEPTED Telfair County Farm Bureau member Kerry Knowles, winner of the 2020 Georgia Farm Bureau Quality Hay Contest, recently accepted the grand prize, a Vermeer 604R Baler. Knowles is allowed a year’s use of the baler with the option to purchase it at a reduced price at the end of a year. Knowles and his family grow hay and raise cattle on 500 acres. A third-generation farmer, Kerry submitted samples of Russell Bermudagrass in the 2020 contest, achieving a Relative Forage Quality Score of 177.6. “I knew I had a chance of winning and the good lord sort of helped me through it to make the quality of hay that I got,” Knowles said. “It’s a wonderful thing to be able to win it.” GFB is calling all members who grow Bermudagrass hay to enter its annual hay contest. Hay entered in the 2021 GFB Quality Hay Contest will be tested at the University of Georgia Feed & Environmental Water Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which provides an analysis of the nutritional value of the hay. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis and announced in December at the annual GFB Convention on Jekyll Island. Prizes will be presented to the top five producers. The first-place winner will receive the free use of a Vermeer 604R baler for one year, courtesy of the Vermeer Manufacturing Company. The winner will have the option to purchase the mower at a reduced price at the end of the year. Entry forms outlining all contest rules may be picked up at local county Farm Bureau offices or downloaded at www.gfb.ag/HayContest. There is a $20 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab test. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau. Entry fees, forms and samples should be sent to the GFB Public Policy Department 1620 Bass Road Macon, Ga., 31210. For more information about the contest contact Jeremy Taylor in the GFB Public Policy Department at 1-800-342-1192 or jrtaylor@gfb.org. CARGILL, CONTINENTAL GRAIN PURCHASE SANDERSON FARMS Cargill, Continental Grain Company, and Sanderson Farms, Inc. announced on Aug. 9 they have reached an agreement for Cargill and Continental Grain to acquire Sanderson Farms for $203 per share in cash, representing a total equity value for Sanderson Farms of $4.53 billion. Once the transaction is final, which is expected to occur by early 2022, Cargill and Continental Grain will combine Sanderson Farms with Wayne Farms, a subsidiary of Continental Grain, to form a new privately held poultry business. Sanderson Farms operates a poultry processing plant in Colquitt County. Wayne Farms, headquartered in Hall County, has a poultry processing plant in Jackson County.
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GFB Field Notes page 9 of 15 Continued from previous page The combination of Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms will create a U.S. poultry company with a high-quality asset base, complementary operating cultures, and an industry-leading management team and workforce, according to a Cargill press release. The new company will have poultry processing plants and prepared foods plants across Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas. Cargill expects to support the new joint venture with its longstanding relationships with retail and foodservice customers. Wayne Farms, part of Continental Grain’s food, agriculture and commodities investment portfolio since 1965, has roots in the poultry industry that go back more than a century. The sale will be subject to approval from regulatory agencies, Sanderson Farms stockholders and other customary closing conditions. Wayne Farms CEO Clint Rivers will lead the combined company. Upon the completion of the transaction, Sanderson Farms will become a private company, and its shares will no longer be traded on NASDAQ. MAJOR GEORGIA CROPS FORECAST FOR PRODUCTION GAINS Georgia corn, cotton, peach, peanut and soybean growers are all forecast for increased production in 2021, according to the August Crop Production Report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Corn for grain production is forecast at 71.4 million bushels, up 2% from 2020. The average corn yield is forecast at 170 bushels per harvested acre, which would represent a a 10 bushel decrease from 2020. Cotton production, forecast at 2.30 million bales, would be a 6% increase from last year. Peanut production is forecast at a record high 3.61 billion pounds, which would be a 10% increase from 2020. The average peanut yield is forecast at 4,400 pounds per harvested acre, up 300 pounds from 2020. Soybean production, predicted at 5.04 million bushels, is expected to increase by 29% over 2020. The average soybean yield is forecast at 42 bushels per acre, up 1 bushel from last year. Tobacco production is forecast at 18.4 million pounds, down 5% from last year to the lowest production total since 1932. Peach production is forecast at 36,000 tons, up 8% from 2020.
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 15 USDA ACCEPTING ENROLLMENT FOR CRP GRASSLAND PROGRAM Aug. 20 enrollment deadline Agricultural producers and landowners can apply for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands signup from until August 20. This year, (USDA) updated signup options to provide greater incentives for producers and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two national priority zones. To enroll in the CRP Grasslands signup, producers and landowners should contact USDA by the Aug. 20 deadline. GEORGIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE ONLINE AUCTION Sept. 27 – Oct. 8 Mark your calendars to get a jump start on your Christmas shopping while supporting Georgia Foundation for Agriculture programs. Registration details to place bids will be announced in the coming weeks. Anyone interested in donating an item for the auction should contact Lily Baucom at lrbaucom@gfb.org or 478.405.3461 or Jennifer Farmer at jmfarmer@gafoundationag.org or 478.405.3463 by Aug. 20. AFBF AG INNOVATION CHALLENGE Aug. 20 deadline to enter The Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge is a national business competition that showcases U.S. startups developing innovative solutions that address challenges facing America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The Challenge was the first national business competition of its kind focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs. Farm Bureau will award $165,000 in startup funds to ten businesses, culminating at a live pitch competition and networking event at the AFBF Annual Convention in January 2022 in Atlanta, GA. The Ag Innovation Challenge Winner will be awarded $50,000 in startup funds provided by sponsors Farm Credit, Bayer Crop Science, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and FMC Corporation. To apply and learn more, visit www.fb.org/challenge. GREAT GEORGIA POLLINATOR CENSUS Aug. 20-21 The Great Georgia Pollinator Census, hosted by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, will be held this year on Aug. 20 and 21. During the census, Georgia citizens are asked to visit plants in their gardens or other spots frequented by insect pollinators and count how many pollinators they observe in a 15-minute window. Those who participate then submit their counts online via the census website. Data collected for the pollinator census are currently being used by UGA researchers for economic valuation studies of pollination. Some are also used in classrooms for student projects. For details, visit https://ggapc.org/.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 15 CLIMATE ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION SURVEY Deadline extended to Aug. 20 If you are a cattle or cotton farmer in Georgia, please consider completing a survey being conducted by a University of Georgia graduate student regarding farmers’ willingness to adopt various technology for your farm as well as your perceptions on climate change. It should take just 20 minutes to complete, and the information collected goes to help the graduate student Georgia complete her degree. To participate in the survey, please visit https://gfb.ag/UGAclimatetechsurvey. For more information on the survey contact Julian Worley at julian.worley@uga.edu. Participants are asked to respond by Aug. 20. GFVGA 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Aug. 21 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center 5:30 p.m. Tifton Join GFVGA and Governor Brian Kemp to celebrate 25 years of service to Georgia's fruit and vegetable industry. The event will kick off with a reception to honor the association’s past presidents. The evening banquet will feature in-season produce from local growers and a live auction to support the GFVGA Advocacy Fund, to help continue the association’s efforts on legislative, regulatory and industry issues. The evening will be capped off with a dance, music provided by The Faze Band. Tickets are $125. To purchase tickets, visit www.gfvga.org/page/25th-Anniversary. GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION FARM BILL LISTENING SESSIONS Aug. 24 Decatur County Extension Office 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Bainbridge Aug. 25 Bulloch County Extension Office 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Statesboro Aug. 30 Tift County Extension Office 10 a.m. – noon Tifton The Georgia Peanut Commission plans to host three Farm Bill Listening Sessions during the month of August across the peanut belt. The listening sessions will help prepare for the 2023 farm bill. The listening sessions precede congressional listening sessions which may start late this year or early in 2022. For more information on the Georgia Peanut Commission and legislative updates, visit www.gapeanuts.com. USDA NRCS OUTREACH AND TRAINING PROGRAM Aug. 24 Tilford Winery Farm, 236 Lake Joy Rd. 10 a.m. – noon Perry The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is hosting this free event for farmers, ranchers and landowners. Topics include the NRCA EQIP Program, the FVSU Extension Program, the Southern Farmers Collaborative Group Program, the Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education, Inc. Program, an MCL Jasco – HelpForFarmers.org Soil Health Live Demonstration and a Tilford Winery Farm Propagation Live Demonstration. For more information, contact NRCS South Region Outreach Coordinator Charlie Grace at (229) 268-9106, Ext. 111, (229) 591-9919 or charlie.grace@usda.gov.
GFB Field Notes page 12 of 15 CHEROKEE COUNTY CANDIDATE FORUM Aug. 31 Cagle’s Family Farm, 5267 Conns Creek Rd. 5:30 p.m. Ball Ground This event is sponsored by Cherokee County Farm Bureau, Cagle’s Family Farm and the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. All 2021 and 2022 local, state and national candidates are invited to attend. Candidates with opposition will have the opportunity to speak. Written questions from the audience will follow. Current elected officials and those candidates with no opposition will be introduced. There will be time for everyone to meet and greet current elected officials and candidates before and after the event! Homemade ice cream will be served by Boy Scout Troop #465. Soft drinks, water and peanuts will be provided by Cherokee County Farm Bureau. Please RSVP by Aug. 26 to Shirley Pahl at the Cherokee County Farm Bureau Office via email at SFPahl@gfbco.org or 770-479-1481, ext. 0. JOINT AGRICULTURE CHAIRMEN’S AG ISSUES SUMMIT Aug. 31 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Perry Sen. Larry Walker and Rep. Robert Dickey, respective chairs of the Georgia Senate and House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committees, will host this annual event, where participants hear important agricultural updates and issues including, but not limited to, water policy and use, labor issues and rural development. To attend, RSVP by Aug. 27 by contacting Leigh Goff at leigh.goff@house.ga.gov. AI TRAINING SCHOOL Aug. 30-Sept. 1 Gordon County Extension Office Calhoun The ABS Global AI Management School offers students the opportunity to learn AI techniques and herd management under skilled supervision. The curriculum includes anatomy and reproduction, reproduction and fertility, heat detection, nutrition, principles of genetics and site selection, herd management, semen placement and practice insemination. Synchronization of beef cattle and planned breeding of dairy heifers will be introduced. The course consists of 14 hours in the classroom and 10 hours of lab work with cattle. Registration is $500, which covers the cost of supplies and practice cows used at the school. Space is limited to 15 students. For more information, contact James Umphrey at james.umphrey@genusplc.com or 850-209-9339. ONION CROP INSURANCE Aug. 31 sales closing date The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Georgia onion growers that Aug. 31 is the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2022 crop year. This is also deadline for current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage to do so. Coverage is available for onions in Appling, Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Laurens, Long, Montgomery, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, and Wayne counties. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online.
GFB Field Notes page 13 of 15 ADVOCACY IN ACTION CONTEST Sept. 1 registration deadline High school and college students with an interest in ag policy and advocacy are encouraged to form teams of 3-4 participants and enter the Advocacy in Action Contest sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) in conjunction with the Sunbelt Ag Expo. Cash prizes in the following amounts will be awarded to the 1st through 3rd place winners in both the high school and college (undergraduate) divisions: 1st - $1,000; 2nd - $800; 3rd - $600. Each participant will receive a contest t-shirt available for pickup at Expo. Visit https://gfb.ag/advocacyinaction for complete contest rules & to register. Registration deadline is Sept. 1. This is a two-part competition. After registering, teams will receive an ag issue topic and are expected to prepare a 2-3 minute video addressing the issue to be submitted by Sept. 20. Each team member must participate in the video. The top three teams in each age division will be notified by Oct. 1 and given a second topic. All team members of selected teams must be able to attend the Sunbelt Ag Expo on Oct. 20 to participate in the next round of competition. In Round 2 of the contest, each team will be paired with an agricultural lobbyist or policy professional who will prepare the teams to discuss the assigned ag issue with three ag industry leaders they encounter as they travel the Expo grounds. Teams will be judged on how well they showcase their knowledge of the ag issue during five-minute “elevator” interviews with the ag leaders. This part of the contest is intended to replicate “working the ropes” at the Georgia Capitol. Winners will be announced at a reception at Expo on the afternoon of Oct. 20. For more information, email Katie Duvall at kgduvall@gfb.org.
FOOD ANIMAL VET LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM Sept. 13 deadline to apply Georgia food animal veterinarians with student loans have until Sept. 13 to apply for funds under the Georgia Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program. Completed applications can be returned via email to statevetedboard@agr.georgia.gov or mailed to: Georgia Department of Agriculture, Attn: Bo Warren, 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. SW, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30334. Complete program information and application documents are available online at https://gfb.ag/21GVELRPapps. INMAN FARM HERITAGE DAYS Sept. 17-19 Minter’s Farm, 283 Hill’s Bridge Rd. Fayetteville Admission is free for this annual event featuring hundreds of antique farm implements, including antique tractors, as well as cars and trucks. Demonstrations include sawmilling, planing, pea shelling, threshing, syrup making, quilting and more! Hours are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sept. 17 and 18, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. on Sept. 19. For more information call 770-461-2840 or 770-296-8360, or visit www.mintersfarm.com.
GFB Field Notes page 14 of 15 KEL-MAC SADDLE CLUB HORSE SHOWS Sept. 18 & Oct. 9 Morgan County Agricultural Center Madison These shows are open to equestrians of all ages and experience levels. Classes include hunter/jumper, western, gaited, trail obstacles, halter/showmanship, beginner, open, costume contests & more! Both shows begin at 9 a.m. - rain or shine. For more information call Susie at (706) 342-3775 or visit the Kel-Mac Saddle Club Facebook page or www.kel-mac.com. These volunteer-run shows generate funds to benefit equestrian related charities. The Kel-Mac Saddle Club has donated an estimated $156,750 back to Georgia’s Piedmont region through the years including: the Georgia Equine Rescue League, the Morgan County Sherriff’s Empty Stocking Fund, the Calvin Center’s Horses & Warriors program, a student scholarship and the equestrian facilities of Georgia & County Parks such as A. H. Stephens, Hard Labor Creek, Don Carter, Watson Mill Bridge and Heritage Park. AFBF WHITE-REINHARDT GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS Oct. 15 application deadline The American Foundation for Agriculture is accepting applications for WhiteReinhardt scholarships and White-Reinhardt community/classroom grants. WhiteReinhardt grants fund projects that will increase agricultural literacy. County and state Farm Bureaus may apply for $1,000 grants for education programs for grades K-12 in order to initiate new ag literacy programs or expand existing programs. Please note that mini-grant funds cannot be used for consumable items like food or paper, transportation, wages or safety programs. Grant payments can only be made to a state or county Farm Bureau. Applications for the grants are due Oct. 15. To learn more or apply for a grant visit www.agfoundation.org/projects/wr-grants-home. The AFBF Foundation is also accepting applications for White-Reinhardt scholarships to the 2022 National Ag in the Classroom Conference for full-time educators and/or volunteers who actively participate in classroom ag literacy programs or events. This scholarship provides travel expense funds for educators to attend the national conference and then use the information gained to expand their outreach to students regarding food, fiber and fuel. Applications for the grants are due Oct. 15. Learn more or apply at www.agfoundation.org/projects/ag-scholarships. For more information email foundation@fb.org. GFB HAY DIRECTORY GFB is accepting listings for its online hay directory. Farm Bureau members with hay for sale or who offer custom harvesting or custom sprigging services are invited to list their hay and/or services in the GFB Quality Hay Directory published on the GFB website. Hay for sale or services can be listed or removed from the directory throughout the year. To be included in GFB’s online hay directory, complete a submission form by visiting your county Farm Bureau office or online at www.gfb.ag/hay. Please include a $10 check made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau for each listing of hay, custom harvesting or custom sprigging. Multiple listings are allowed. Listings can be updated in the directory throughout the year as hay inventories change. Hay producers who entered the 2021 GFB Quality Hay Contest receive a free listing in the online GFB Hay Directory.
GFB Field Notes page 15 of 15 DAIRY VOLUNTEERS LEND A LISTENING EAR FOR THOSE IN STRESS Are you a dairy farmer who would like to talk to a fellow farmer or industry friend about the stress you’re experiencing? Georgia Milk Producers has partnered with dairy groups in other Southeastern states to compile a list of dairy producers who are volunteering to talk with fellow farmers & dairy industry employees as the dairy sector navigates these difficult times. Click here to access the list of volunteers & other tips/suggestions for dealing with stress. UGA VETERINARY SCHOOL DOG AGING PROJECT Researchers at the University of Georgia are looking for new participants for a study that aims to determine why smaller dogs live longer lives than their larger counterparts. There are almost 90 million dogs living in the United States, and to date, nearly 30,000 dog owners from around the country have volunteered for this community science research project as part of a five-year, $23 million project funded by the National Institute on Aging, a part of the National Institutes of Health. All kinds of dogs are welcome to join, but researchers are specifically seeking dogs, both purebred and mixed breed, in the following categories: Large breed dogs weighing between 70100 pounds, especially breeds other than Labradors, golden retrievers and German shepherds (the most common breeds in the U.S.); Giant breed dogs weighing more than 100 pounds, such as Great Danes, wolfhounds and mastiffs; Hound dogs, spaniels, pointers, terriers, bulldogs and pit bulls (purebred and mixed breed); Working dogs, such as herding, K9 and service dogs. Because the Dog Aging Project (DAP) is a long-term study, puppy participants are especially beneficial to the project. The research team wants to follow dogs through their entire lives. To participate in the Dog Aging Project, owners nominate a dog (one per household) at the project website, www.dogagingproject.org. After this, they are invited to set up a personal research portal where they answer scientific surveys about their dog and upload veterinary records. For more information, or to nominate your dog, visit www.dogagingproject.org.